The Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday announced a two-year contract extension for defenseman Korbinian Holzer. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Holzer, 25, has played 16 games for the Leafs this season scoring two goals and registering 19 minutes in penalties. He recorded his first NHL goal, which was also the game-winner, in the Leafs' 3-2 win at Washington on Feb. 5

The 6-foot-3, 205-pound defenseman is tied for third on the team in blocked shots with 37. He has also skated in 34 games for the American Hockey League's Toronto Marlies in 2012-13 collecting a goal, eight points and 28 penalty minutes.

Holzer, a native of Munich, Germany, has represented his country at several international tournaments including the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, the 2010 and 2011 IIHF World Championship, and the 2007 IIHF World Junior Championship.

The New Jersey Devils have recalled right wing Cam Janssen from Albany of the American Hockey League, according to The (Bergen) Record.

Janssen was a minus-1 in three games with the Devils this season prior to be placed on waivers Jan. 31 and reassigned to Albany. In 14 AHL games, he has two assists and 37 penalty minutes.

In 311 NHL games with the Devils and St. Louis Blues, Janssen has 11 points and 750 penalty minutes.

The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed right wing Tom Kostopoulos to a one-year, two-way contract.

The deal is worth $600,000 at the NHL level. Kostopoulos will be placed on waivers at noon ET on Tuesday, and if he clears will be assigned to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre of the American Hockey League.

VANCOUVER -- Defenseman Kevin Bieksa remains out of the Vancouver Canucks lineup for a second straight game Tuesday after aggravating a groin injury in his return from the same injury Saturday.

Bieksa, who averages 21:32 of ice time and plays on the power play and penalty kill for the Canucks, missed two games before coming back to play against the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday. He finished that game, but did not play Sunday on the road against the Calgary Flames, and was not back on the ice for the game-day skate Tuesday morning ahead of Tuesday night's game against the San Jose Sharks.

"He's day to day," Canucks coach Alain Vigneault said. "Everybody that watched that game, he was quick, he was strong 1-on-1, and then towards the end of the game, one hit, one push, and he felt it again. He finished the game and didn't think anything of it. Next day [he] got up and was real stiff."

Bieksa is expected to join the team on a three-game road trip that starts Thursday against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Here are the rest of the projected lines and defense pairings for Tuesday's game between the Sharks and Canucks at Rogers Arena:

LOS ANGELES -- St. Louis Blues coach Ken Hitchcock knows full well what's in store when he plays the Los Angeles Kings: a lot of big bodies flying around.

That's largely why Hitchcock will insert Ian Cole back on defense when St. Louis plays L.A. on Tuesday night. The 6-foot-1, 219-pound Cole will be needed against some of the Kings' big forwards such as Jeff Carter and Dustin Brown.

"The opponent dictates that," Hitchcock said. "They've got a big lineup and Ian's played OK against them. ... I think just from getting bounced around standpoint, when you play L.A. you're going to get bounced around. You've just got to fight through it.

"They're a big team, but they're a big, smart team. I mean, there's a difference. There's lots of big teams in the League, but they're a big, smart team, which I think makes a big difference."

Ottawa Senators forward Milan Michalek told reporters after practice Tuesday that he's ready to return to the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Michalek, who had a career-best 35 goals last season, has been out since injuring his knee during pregame warm-ups prior to a game at the Pittsburgh Penguins on Feb. 13.

"I'm ready," Michalek said. "I practiced today and I'm excited for tomorrow."

RALEIGH, N.C. - The Carolina Hurricanes will begin a long stretch of hockey without goaltender Cam Ward, who suffered a third-degree sprain of the medial collateral ligament in his left knee Sunday and will miss 6-8 weeks.

The Hurricanes will turn over the net to Justin Peters on Tuesday against the Buffalo Sabres, after his recall from the Charlotte Checkers of the American Hockey League. Dan Ellis still is battling an illness, but will serve as the backup. This will mark the fourth straight season Peters has seen time in the Carolina goal.

"We're going to go with his energy and give him an opportunity to jump right in and play," Hurricanes coach Kirk Muller said. "He's had a great first half down in Charlotte, so he should have confidence. He should look at all the experiences leading up to now and just go out and play hockey and get the job done."

Buffalo will get its top scorer back against Carolina. Thomas Vanek, who has missed the past two games with an upper-body injury, will bring his 27 points to the Sabres' offense.

"It's great to see [Vanek] out there, especially to get some work on the power play, and what he means to that phase of our game," Sabres interim coach Ron Rolston said. "Any time you lose a player of that quality, it's certainly a dent in your lineup. I'm looking forward to getting him back in there."

Here are the projected lineups for Tuesday's game:

CHICAGO -- Dave Bolland will re-enter the lineup for the Chicago Blackhawks against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday at United Center.

Bolland has missed five straight games with an undisclosed upper-body injury and is anxious to rejoin his teammates while centering Chicago's second line between Patrick Sharp and Patrick Kane. The Blackhawks (19-0-3) still haven't lost in regulation through 22 games this season -- 28 straight if you add last season's closing 3-0-3 stretch -- and Bolland hopes to help extend the streak.

"I'm feeling good and I'm going to play tonight," Bolland said after Chicago's morning skate. "It's been great, even watching them on TV keep the [points] streak alive, so coming back and helping them out is a big thing in keeping this thing going."

SUNRISE, Fla. -- Veteran forward Alex Kovalev's status remains unknown.

Kovalev still is property of the Florida Panthers, but he no longer figures in the team's plans, and general manager Dale Tallon said Tuesday that Kovalev was "still weighing his options."

"It was just a mutual agreement that we wanted to go in a different direction, that's all," Tallon said.

Tallon said he was hoping for a resolution sometime this week. Kovalev, who was out of the NHL last season, could agree to be sent down to the American Hockey League, accept a buyout or retire.

SUNRISE, Fla. -- As the result of the Florida Panthers' rash of injuries, Tuesday's game against the Winnipeg Jets will mark the NHL debut for a fifth player this season.

This time it will be forward Jonathan Rheault, who was recalled from San Antonio of the American Hockey League on Tuesday after news broke that center Stephen Weiss would undergo season-ending wrist surgery.

Rookie Jonathan Huberdeau, who leads the team with 10 goals, and defenseman Michael Caruso made their NHL debuts opening night. Center Drew Shore has stayed with the Panthers after being called up from San Antonio early in the season, and prospect Quinton Howden was sent back to San Antonio after making his NHL debut Jan. 26 against the Philadelphia Flyers.